This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of grapevine, ‘Sugraforty’, as herein described and illustrated. The new variety originated by controlled hybridization. The new variety was first hybridized in 2008 by Michael Striem in Wasco, Kern County, Calif., and was selected from a population of hybrid seedlings by Terry Bacon in 2010.
The new variety Sugraforty' is characterized by producing oval black berries ripening very early in the season. The berries of ‘Sugraforty’ are firm, slightly juicy, have medium sugar content and a slightly fruity flavor.
The seed parent is the varietal selection ‘02014-168-033’ (unpatented) and the pollen parent is the varietal selection ‘04017-201-252’ (unpatented). The parent varieties were first crossed in May 2008 by Michael Striem. The date of first sowing was March 2009, and the date of first flowering was May 2010.
The new variety ‘Sugraforty’ was first asexually propagated in December 2010, in Wasco, Kern County, Calif., by Terry Bacon using hardwood cuttings.
The new variety ‘Sugraforty’ differs from its seed parent ‘02014-168-033’ (unpatented) in that the fruit of the seed parent is seeded while the fruit of the new variety has rudimentary seeds. The new variety Sugraforty' resembles its seed parent in that both have oval black berries of about 5.1 g that ripen very early in the season.
The new variety Sugraforty' differs from its pollen parent ‘04017-201-252’ (unpatented) in that the new variety has oval berries compared to elongated berries for the pollen parent. The berry size for new variety is also larger at about 5.1 g compared to about 2.5 g for the pollen parent. The cluster size is larger in the new variety at about 600 g compared to about 150 g for the pollen parent. The new variety ‘Sugraforty’ resembles its pollen parent in that they both have black berries that ripen very early in the season.
The new variety ‘Sugraforty’ resembles commercially-available USDA variety ‘Summer Royal’ (unpatented) in that both have black berries that ripen very early in the season. However, the new variety has an oval berry while ‘Summer Royal’ has a round-oval shape. In addition, the harvest of the new variety starts about 7-10 days earlier than ‘Summer Royal’ (unpatented). The new variety ‘Sugraforty’ also resembles ‘Sugrathirteen’ (PP104340) in that both have black berries. However, the new variety has oval shaped berries compared to the long-elliptic berries of ‘Sugrathirteen’.
The new ‘Sugraforty’ variety has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, rooted cuttings.
Variations of the usual magnitude from the characteristics described herein may occur with changes in any of a variety of factors such as growing conditions, irrigation, fertilization, pruning, management and with climatic variation.